River Meets the Doctor
by Astellya
Summary: A series of one-shots where River meets various Doctors and Companions. Classic and New Doctor Who, can all be read as standalone pieces.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **So I was thinking of writing about all the times River meets the Doctor. She's hinted several times that she's met him before his tenth incarnation (she has the "spotter's guide" for his faces). This is the first one I've completed. I plan on writing several more one-shots for her meeting the Doctor. It's mostly River and the Doctor's companions because I figure that she didn't want to mess with the Doctor too much because she doesn't want to accidentally rewrite their Timelines. I'm planning on writing about companions from New and Classic Doctor Who, but they can all be read as individual one-shots with no relation to the others. Chronologically, this is the last in the one-shots for River, right before the Library, so she's already met the Doctor several times in his different regenerations.

Also, this is my _first _Doctor Who fanfic ever, so please read and review! I would love some feedback.

**River meets Rose Tyler **

_Tick tock goes the clock_

_Through Space and Time he'll find her_

_Tick tock goes the clock_

_When River meets the Doctor_

River Song fought wildly against the guards as the dragged her through the hellish dungeon, past cells containing other females, seemingly sorted by species and colour. She had been captured by ruffians while she was travelling at night, pulled away from the group she had been travelling with by skilled people snatchers when she had fallen behind. She filled the air with curses in as many languages she could think of as she was pulled towards a small cell. The men holding her shoved her in violently after snapping a bracelet on her wrist that she knew was there to prevent her escape.

She fell into the cage, landing on her hands and knees painfully as the men laughed cruelly. "You alright?" a kind voice asked. She looked up and into a pair of young brown eyes that held immense compassion for a girl her age. The girl looked as though she was still in her teens despite the fact that she tried to look older. Her blonde hair hung an inch or two past her shoulders, explaining why they were placed together: Blonde humanoids. "I'm Rose," the girl said as she helped the woman off the floor.

"I'm—" she hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say her name was. "Melody."

"Are you alright?" Rose asked.

"Fine. Just annoyed, really." River looked the girl over, her heart aching in sympathy. The left knee of the girl's jeans was torn, revealing a knee that had bled for a while judging by the amount of blood on her. Her arms held multiple bruises, some still an angry purple while others were faded to a deep brown. Her split lip was the only injury marring her face; River knew that men like those who captured them didn't want to damage any potential profits by messing up a girl's face. "Are you okay?"

Rose smiled bravely. "They gave me a split lip the day before yesterday so they've been waiting for it to heal before they put me up for sale."

"I'm sorry," River felt an overwhelming need to comfort the girl, feeling a very maternal tug at her heart for the brave child. "What happened?"

"I was travelling with this man, my friend… We got separated because he wanted to look at something in a shop and I wanted to go into a clothing store… Anyways, I was snatched by a couple of men and taken here. D'you know where we are?"

"I was on New Cyprus when they took me."

Rose frowned, annoyed. "I was on East Moon Three. Are they close to each other?"

"They're in the same solar system. We must be close by."

Rose sighed and sat on the floor against the wall. "D'you… d'you know what's going to happen to us?" she asked fearfully.

River sat next to her and wrapped her arm around the girl's shoulders. "We'll be fine… I'll get us out of here, Rose. I swear to you that we'll get out of here."

"How do you know for sure?"

"I'll think of something…" Rose shut her eyes tiredly and River noticed, for the first time, that the girl looked an inch away from exhaustion. "How long have you been here?"

Rose shrugged, keeping her eyes shut. "I think it's been three or four days… It's hard to keep track of time."

"Have you slept?"

The girl laughed slightly. "I've been by myself for the past two days. I didn't want to sleep because then I would be defenseless."

Again, River felt the tug of sympathy. "Sleep, Rose. I'll make sure no one comes."

"Thank you, Melody," Rose murmured even as she dropped into sleep. Her head lolled against River's shoulder and she fell into a deep sleep.

River examined their cell for the first time since she had arrived, taking in the cold, cement floor and the strong metal bars. The cell held a small toilet and sink and nothing else. There was nothing even resembling a bed for them to rest or sit on. Her eyes flickered to the cell door which looked very much like the door to her Storm Cage cell. With the right tools, River could easily break them out of there. Unfortunately, she had been stripped of her coat and all personal belongings, leaving her in a teeshirt and black jeans and shoes quite terrible for running in. She glanced at Rose, noting that the girl wore only a pair of jeans and a thin shirt that must have left her cold in this dark dungeon.

River sighed, wishing for the Doctor. She knew that he would be able to free everyone here in a heartbeat and he would do it while making the guards look foolish. She smiled at the thought of him swaggering in, fez perched on his head, bowtie perfectly tied… Oh yes, her husband was a brave old fool.

She pulled the girl a little closer to her to share her body heat as she formulated a plan. There was nothing in the cell that they could use to escape, but perhaps she could get to work on the bracelets they both wore once Rose was awake. She let out a huff of annoyance; she was supposed to be planning and pitching her expedition to the Library to the owner next week and she was going to fall behind if she was to be stuck here for too long. Her blue eyes observed those in the cages next to them, not recognizing the species at all. Both were bluish humanoids with webbed fingers and feet and green or yellow hair. Their eyes were slits and glowed a gentle orange. None of them would even look at River.

She adjusted her hold on Rose again, getting more comfortable as the girl slept on. She looked down at the girl and felt her heart ache painfully; she thought of all the times she _could _have been a mother… However, it would have been cruel to bring a child into the world whose parents never met in the right order. And the TARDIS was no place for a child. So she had never, in all her years of life, had a child. For some reason this very moment made that pain bubble to the surface again from where she had buried it years ago.

If she shut her eyes, she could imagine the children she and her Doctor could have had. In fact, the girl she held close to her now could resemble one of the children they never had. A girl with big brown eyes and a caring nature… River forced the thoughts out of her mind as she felt tears prick her eyes. There was no need to dwell on the past. Maybe someday she would be able to care for a child, but not now. Perhaps one day…

River bit her lip to bring herself back to the present. She had to find a way out of there. There was no way that she was going to be stuck here for long. No, she had already paid her debt and there was no way she was going to be confined in a cage ever again. She began formulating a plan as the girl slept silently in her arms.

DWDWDWDWDW

Rose dreamed of him, her Doctor. They were together again and they were happy. However, the dreams twisted into something darker. She dreamt of the pain she had endured in this place at the hands of her captors.

"_Let me go!" she shrieked as she was pulled away from the safe embrace of the Doctor. "Doctor!" She fought against the strong arms that were pulling her away from her Doctor and into the cold darkness. _

"_Ha! Pretty little thing, ain't she?" a cruel voice asked gleefully. "Maybe I'll play with 'er myself!" His face was contorted into a nightmarish snarl that made Rose shrink away from him in terror. _

_Laughter followed as she was shoved forward, landing hard on her knee. She felt the sting of a rock slicing into her flesh and she could feel the warm blood flow down the leg of her pants. "Put her in the blonde cell!" _

Rose jumped, waking instantly, her heart thundering. She unconsciously fought the gentle arms that were around her before she realized that she was safe, at least for now. She relaxed as she bit back the tears she had sworn that she wouldn't shed.

"Hush, Rose," River said softly as she held Rose tightly. "It's alright; you're only dreaming."

"Sorry," Rose mumbled, embarrassed.

"It's fine. Really."

Rose pulled away a little to look at River carefully. "Are you alright?" she had noticed the pain in her fellow captive's eyes.

River blinked, realizing that Rose had seen her sadness. "I'll be just fine when we get out of here, Rose."

"How do you suggest we do that?"

"I want to look at these bracelets. Maybe I'll be able to tinker with it to create some sort of weapon."

Rose obligingly held out her wrist. "You should try mine; that way, if it shocks me, you'll still be able to work. And you'll have both hands."

River hesitated before nodding reluctantly. She carefully wriggled the covering off of the mechanical part of the bracelet, doing her best not to short circuit the device. She peered at the primitive circuit board, taking account of the pieces that made up the device. She made mental note of which things were present before she began strategizing. If she rerouted the current, she could make a semi-sonic device that could, in theory, release the bolt on the cage door. Unfortunately, the device would only work for a short period of time before shorting out due to a lack of sufficient resistance. She fished a few bobby pins from her hair, knowing that they would help to prod around in the circuitry even though she longed for a pair of needle-nosed pliers.

"I think I may be able to open the door," River said quietly as she continued to peer down at the available parts. "It would take time, of course, but it's definitely doable."

Rose smiled broadly and River realized it was the first time the girl had done so. Rose's entire face lit up, shifting the girl from pretty to gorgeous as she beamed at the older woman. "Soon as I get out of here, I'm going to give my friend a good whack," she said good-naturedly.

River couldn't help but smile back at the girl. "I'm sure your friend will be thrilled to have you back. Now, let's get started. How often do guards patrol?"

"Um, probably every twenty minutes or so. Sometimes longer. And they don't usually check on us more than once a day. Basically they check to see if my face is better yet."

River paused for a moment before she stood. "Rose, I have a favor to ask."

Rose stood as well, looking a little confused. "Yeah, alright."

"Hit me in the face. As hard as you can."

"Wh-what?" she sputtered.

"Hit me. I need to make sure that they won't take me to be sold before we get out of here. So, hit me."

"You're sure about this?" Rose asked, not looking convinced.

"Listen, our only way out will be together. And, the only way we're guaranteed to stay here is if we mess up our faces. So, hit me," River repeated.

The younger girl took a long, deep breath before swinging her fist back and half-lunging towards River, striking her solidly in the face with her fist. "Oh, god, are you alright, Melody?" Rose asked as River stumbled before catching her balance.

"Gimme a minute," River breathed as she remained bent over, hands on her knees to steady herself. After a few deep breaths, she straightened. "How do I look?"

Her cheekbone was red and already starting to swell, leading Rose to believe that a nasty bruise would develop fairly soon. "Pretty bad."

"Good. Let's get back to work." River sat with Rose on the ground again and began to make a few adjustments on the device, careful not to jar anything so that the bracelet would go off. Time passed slowly as she remained absorbed in her work and she was roused only when Rose knocked her hand away and scooted a few feet away from her. She opened her mouth to protest when she heard the approach of a guard.

The man was tall and mostly human with the exception of his very orange eyes. He had firm muscles that came from keeping the captives locked away and an evil grin that was currently trained on Rose. "Hello again," he half-purred as Rose stood, her brown eyes defensive as the man came into the cage. Clearly this wasn't a new occurrence. He grabbed her chin and tilted her head, almost pouting when he noticed that her lip was still split. He shifted his gaze to River briefly, taking in River's now injured face with annoyance. His right hand moved on its own, backhanding Rose so hard that she spun and bounced off the wall behind her. "Don't do that again," he warned as he leaned down to look her in the eye, grabbing her hair to keep her still. "If you do, we'll have to pay a visit to my quarters, girl." He shook Rose as though she were a toy, his hand tangled in her blonde hair. He tossed her towards River as he left the cell in silence.

River had caught Rose, wrapping her arms around the girl who tried her best not to quake with fear and anger. Fortunately, and also unfortunately, the man had struck her hard enough to leave a nasty bruise against her left cheekbone, buying her a little more time. "I'm sorry," River whispered, knowing full well that Rose wasn't alright.

"S'okay," Rose lied as she hid her face in River's hair, "I'll be fine in a minute, Melody."

"I know."

They stood for a while, both trying to offer the other comfort, before Rose finally pulled away. She still hadn't let the tears that stung her eyes fall, promising herself that she could cry all she liked when they were safe. She sighed as she slid back down to the floor, taking River with her. River continued her work in silence that was broken occasionally by sounds of the other prisoners.

DWDWDW

"Aha!" River muttered after several hours and several guards had passed. "I've gotten it so that it'll open the door to our cell… We just have to choose the right moment because we only have one chance."

"When should we go?" Rose asked, a hopeful smile on her face.

"Well, we should go a minute or so after the next patrol… do you know how to get out of here?"

"Most of the guards head that way, but I don't know at all…" Rose admitted, eyes darting from one direction to the other. "I remember that I came in that way, though," she pointed towards the right, down the long, seemingly endless corridor.

"I think I came in that way too. We'll take a chance on that… It's better than nothing."

Rose nodded firmly, trying to convince herself that they would be _fine _and that she would hit the Doctor so hard that he would have to hobble back to the TARDIS. Not that she blamed him for this, but because the alternative would be that she would be so relieved to be safe that she wouldn't be able to function. No, it was much better to focus on the anger than the sadness and fear.

A guard strolled past their cell, his murky brown eyes watching the captives with a slight smirk on his dark lips. His smirk widened when he spotted the blonde pair and he waggled his eyebrows salaciously, making both women cringe. He continued on without slowing and the pair watched him disappear out of sight.

"Well, I guess it's now or never," River said a bit nervously as she led the way to the door. She took Rose's wrist and connected two wires on the bracelet, making the familiar whirring sound of a sonic screwdriver before it shorted out suddenly, delivering quite a shock to Rose who flinched and bit her tongue to keep down her scream. "You alright?" she whispered and got a nod in response. River nervously tested the cell door, breathing a sigh of relief when it swung open silently. River kept Rose's hand in hers as she sprinted the way the guard had come from, sticking to the shadows as the young blonde raced silently behind her.

River's blue eyes took in the cells despite her determination not to look; countless creatures were held there, mostly lesser evolved species that were probably legal to trade and sell but there were also many who were higher life forms that River _knew _were there illegally. Silent eyes watched the blondes race past to freedom, wishing that they could somehow join them. River turned a corner and nearly sobbed with relief when she saw an open archway that led outside. She tightened her grip on Rose's hand and ran even faster, feeling the girl struggling a little to keep up as they ran past a clueless guard who began to fumble for his weapon.

The two were a few meters away when River felt the bracelet she wore burn with electricity, making her scream and falter. Rose gripped her hand harder as she plowed onward, half-pulling River as she struggled to remain conscious. Rose ran them to a line of trees, refusing to let go of River even though the older woman's breathing was labored as she tried to silence her cries of pain.

"Go," River urged through the haze of pain, her feet faltering over the uneven ground.

"No! I'm not leaving you, Melody," Rose protested as she wove through the trees, her pace slowed now that they were on more difficult terrain. Angry shouts were heard behind them as a few guns were fired off, their primitive bangs echoing through the woods. The shock from the bracelet had ceased, leaving River weak but aware as Rose frantically moved away from their prison.

The cry of a hunting beast rang out behind them and Rose moved even faster, barely missing trees and branches as she struggled to get away. Suddenly, the ground beneath them shifted and rose, trapping them in quite possibly the most offensively primitive trap River could have imagined. They had been caught by a net that had been semi-camouflaged by leaves that, upon movement, was designed to hoist its prey into the air.

River's eyes fluttered shut as Rose shook her firmly. "Don't you dare pass out, Melody!" she shouted, close to hysterics. "We can't let them separate us!"

"Sorry, Rose," River murmured. Rose reached for River's wrist, stunned to see burn marks around the thick bracelet that was around her wrist.

"Oh, Melody," Rose felt herself begin to crumble as she took in a shaky breath. The men that worked at the prison had gathered, laughing at their captives. The man who had checked on them earlier watched them with gleeful orange eyes, clearly looking forward to whatever punishment was in store. They were dropped to the ground, falling a good six feet, as one of the men cut the rope that held them up. Rose struggled to her feet, pulling River with her, knowing that it would be worse if they didn't stand. River had to lean heavily on Rose, but her eyes were determined as she looked the gleeful man.

"Now, now," he said, his orange eyes looking over the blondes, "what to do with you? So many choices…"

"Shut up," Rose hissed, seething with anger.

The man laughed, though his eyes were hard and cruel. "What a brave little girl!" he laughed, making the other men chuckle. "I'm sure your father would be proud."

Rose lunged without thinking, knocking River slightly off balance, and tackled the man who taunted her, hitting him as many times as possible before she was dragged off by two other men who struggled to keep a hold of the screaming blonde. Her words were almost unintelligible as she cursed the man and the men who held her, inflicting as much damage as she could to the men holding her.

The orange-eyed man stood, wiping a trail of blood from the side of his mouth with annoyance. "Oh, you'll regret that, girl," all the light had gone out in his eyes, leaving only cruel darkness in its wake. "You and your friend, too."

"Leave her alone!" Rose cried, focusing on him again as she stilled at the threat.

"Guards, bring them to my quarters. I have a treat for them," he said, his eyes flicking from Rose to River and back again. "I'll be seeing you soon, girl." He turned on his heel and left, leaving the other men to bring a screaming Rose and a now-aware River back to the prison.

"Rose," River whispered as she was shoved forward by a guard. She placed a gentle hand on Rose's shoulder, making the girl still and silence almost immediately as she understood what River wanted. The guards cautiously released Rose, allowing her to walk next to River on her own as they were escorted out of the forest.

"I'm sorry," Rose whispered, glancing at River before looking away guiltily.

"Not your fault, sweetheart," River replied, taking Rose's hand gently. "We'll just have to try again, you and me. Blonde girls." Rose smiled a little at that as she leaned in to River slightly as the building came back into view.

"This way," the guards ordered as they turned down a smaller hallway lined with rooms instead of cages. They were shoved in to one at the end of the hall. The heavy door shut behind them, locking firmly even as Rose scrambled to open it again. She turned slowly, taking in the room fearfully.

The carpet was soft and white with dark red walls littered with pieces of art that Rose thought were a bit tacky. A large, wooden desk dominated one corner of the room, an equally large chair sitting behind it, clearly a place of power for the owner. A large bureau held a few knickknacks as well as a small viewing screen. A very large bed sat in the corner opposite to the desk, made up with high quality white sheets.

"I figured, for intelligent creatures like you, you would be more comfortable here," the man with the orange eyes said as he stood from his desk, two sets of handcuffs in his hands. River moved to stand in front of Rose, instinctively protecting the young girl from this madman. She wished for the gun that she loved to carry, knowing that the guards had taken it away when she had been snatched away from her fellow travelers. The man laughed at this movement, clearly enjoying himself. "I must say, been head guard does have its perks," he told them almost conversationally as he approached them slowly, as if he had all the time in the world. "I get to decide who doles out punishment and what it is. I must say, I was very _pleased _when I saw you two were trying to escape. Oh yes," he continued as he took in their shocked expressions, "we knew you were tampering with the bracelet. I wanted to see what you would do. And, this way, I get to have what I desire." His eyes darkened and he reached River, grabbing her wrist in a bruising grip and snapping a handcuff on her. His other hand grabbed her other wrist, moving her hands behind her back, making him stand flush against her. She merely glared up at him, as he tried to intimidate her. He shoved her aside, hands now secured, and moved on to Rose.

The younger blonde took a step backwards, slamming into the wall as she tried to get away. He only laughed as he slowly backed her into a corner. She cringed away as he locked her hands behind her back, allowing himself to cop a feel as he pulled away from her. "Now, all that's left is to decide who goes first," he said as River struggled to free herself from the handcuffs. If _only _she had a strip of metal…

The man grabbed Rose's hair as River spoke fearfully, "Leave her alone! I'll do whatever you want me to."

He only laughed as he dragged Rose towards the bed, making the girl shriek as she struggled. River nearly missed the familiar sound of a sonic screwdriver that preceded the door slamming open violently, nearly hitting her in the face. A tall man stood in the doorway, his blue eyes full of anger and power as he strode in, black leather jacket accentuating his broad shoulders. His dark hair was clipped short, making his large ears look even larger as he held his sonic up, releasing Rose's handcuffs. The man holding her released her in surprise, allowing the young girl to scamper away from him before he grabbed her arm firmly.

"Who are you?" the head guard demanded, using Rose as a type of shield.

The man's eyes flickered to River and she saw grief, age, and fury in his clear blue eyes, nearly making her stagger under the weight of it before he shifted his focus on the head guard and Rose again. "If you don't let the girl go," he threatened in his Northern accent, "I'll destroy you in so many more terrible ways than you could ever think of. Have you ever had your flesh boiled from the inside? It's not a pretty sight. Now, let the girl go before I decide to rip you apart, atom by atom."

The head guard seemed to fracture under the gaze of the terrifying man as he let go of the blonde, allowing her to race across the room and towards the tall man. "Stay behind me, Rose," he told her in a much more gentle voice before he looked at the man cowering near the bed. "You, you'd better run," he said, his voice lowered to a whisper. "Before I change my mind. And you'd better hope that I can ignore the bruises on my friend long enough for you to leave here. Tell your guards to free everyone and _run." _The head guard stood frozen for a moment longer before the man barked, _"Run!_" one last time. The head guard disappeared into the hallway, leaving the room eerily silent.

The man with the blue eyes turned around to see Rose struggling to free River from the handcuffs and his gaze softened. He pointed his sonic at River, allowing the handcuffs to slip free and clatter to the floor. Rose's eyes were firmly fixed on the floor as River gently placed a hand on her arm, assuring the girl that she was fine. "Oh, Rose, I'm sorry," the man said as he looked at the girl who didn't look up.

"S'not your fault," she replied, as she shook slightly. She looked up, a false smile on her face as she swatted his arm gently. "You're late, Doctor," she told him as she felt a few tears fall.

"Sorry," he muttered as he looked at her, unsure of what to do. River wasn't sure who moved first, but Rose was suddenly wrapped in the man's arms, tucked securely under his jacket as she shook with tears. That was when River saw the sonic screwdriver up close. Her heart nearly stopped as she recognized the man, the man that she would one day marry, as the Doctor she loved. It was at this moment when she realized _why _the Daleks had called the Doctor the Oncoming Storm. And the girl—_Rose Tyler. _The girl who had repaired the shattered man the Doctor had been after Gallifrey had been destroyed.

The Doctor ran his fingers through Rose's hair, allowing her to cling to him and cry into his jumper without a word. He had thought she was dead; there had been quite a bit of blood from the place where she had been taken and he had feared the worst. "Let's get you back to the TARDIS," he suggested gently as she calmed down a little. She pulled away, sniffling as she wiped away the tears that had streaked her face. He touched her injured lip carefully, feeling his blood pound through his hearts as he saw every bruise that peppered her otherwise flawless skin.

She noticed the shift in his mood, moving her hand to take his gently. "I'll be fine, Doctor. Please don't kill them."

River watched in stunned silence; this was not the man she knew. Nor was it the man she had met before. This version of her Doctor… He was angry and powerful and a force of nature that was currently only restrained by one small, blonde girl. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"I am," she said determinedly, her brown eyes stern as she looked at him. "Don't chase after them; they've let everyone go and I'm sure they'll live in fear for the rest of their lives."

"If that's what you want."

"It is." She smiled up at him, her tongue poking out mischievously between her teeth. "You know, I think the man about wet himself when you pointed your sonic at him."

"Rose Tyler," he shook his head with a slight smile, the fury disappearing completely from his pale eyes. "Let's get you back to the TARDIS so I can clean up your injuries." His gaze shifted to River, as if suddenly remembering that she was there. "Do you need a ride?" he asked.

"Yeah, Melody. He can take you anywhere you need to go," Rose offered.

"I suppose I could—" her voice was cut off by another person entering the room. He wore a tweed jacket with brown pants, a burgundy bowtie, and a brilliantly red fez.

"Oh, you're alive," the man said as he kissed River firmly. He pulled away and looked her over, frowning at the bruises on her arms and the rather nasty one on her face. "I've been looking _everywhere—_" he looked up and jumped when he spotted Rose and the Doctor. "H-Hello," he stammered a little nervously. "I'm Doctor—"

"Pond. John Pond. My husband," River answered for him, a warning look in her eyes.

"I guess we both got rescued," Rose mused as she squeezed her Doctor's hand warmly. "Thank you, Melody," she continued as she released her hold on the Doctor to hug River tightly. "You stopped me from going completely mad. And, sorry about your face," she apologized lamely, gesturing at River's newly-black eye.

"It'll heal," River shrugged as she held Rose tightly by the shoulders. "You take care of yourself, Rose. Don't waste what you have."

"Maybe we'll meet again one day," Rose suggested as she allowed River to hug her one more time.

"I doubt it… but you never know. Goodbye, Rose."

"Bye, Melody. And, thank you. Really. It was nice meeting you, Doctor Pond," she said as she took her Doctor's hand again. He fussed over her as he shrugged out of his jacket, draping it around her shoulders as though she were made of fragile china that would shatter if he touched her too hard.

"Yeah, nice," River's husband muttered as Rose left the room with her Doctor. "I forgot about this day," he said, still staring after them. "I was so worried about Rose that I never really looked at you or me…"

"So that's Rose Tyler," River said softly.

"Yeah…" His gaze moved to hers, fear sparking a little in his eyes. "You're not… jealous, are you?"

River smiled a little. "No, not at all. She gets her Doctor, I got mine. I see why you fell for her, though. She was very brave… and she tried to protect me." She laughed a little. "I can't believe I just met Rose Tyler…" Her smile fell as she looked back at the Doctor. "You… you used to be like that?"

"Yes. I was lost in those days. Rose brought me back to life. Without her, I would never have survived."

"Then I'm especially glad that I got to meet her. Now, husband, let's get in your TARDIS so I can tell you about my expedition to the Library." She tugged him along when he froze, green eyes wide. "What's wrong, Sweetie?"

"Spoilers," he muttered with a tight smile before he led her out and towards his TARDIS.

"Rose is fine, though, right?" she asked, changing the subject and genuinely curious.

"Yes, she's brilliant. She was always fantastic… I took her to the med-bay and healed her bruises… turns out she had a cracked rib she refused to complain about until after I scanned her and pointed it out. Then she admitted that it hurt." A fond smile blossomed on his face as he opened the door to his TARDIS. "Then we went on an adventure and she patched together my hearts a little bit more."

River kissed him as soon as the door shut behind them, assuring him that she held no jealousy towards the younger blonde. In fact, she owed the girl her life. Rose Tyler was the reason that she had the brilliant man that stood before her and was the reason she existed in the first place. She pulled away from the Doctor, snatching his fez off the top of his head as he scrambled after her, tossing it down the hallway where the TARDIS then conveniently "put it away" for him.

"River Song, what am I going to do with you."

"Oh, I'm sure you can think of lots of things," she teased as she kissed him and laughed.

**A/N: **I hope you enjoyed! If you have requests for Doctors/Companions for me to write about, feel free to tell me in a review or a private message. I wouldn't mind writing about the same Companions twice if you have a suggestion for another meeting.


	2. Sarah Jane Part 1

**A/N: **Okay, go ahead and yell. I've been a terrible, _terrible _person. It has been three months. _Three months! _I have valid excuses (starting school, working fulltime, exhaustion, illness…) but, really, I am very sorry. I promise to be a better updater. I really appreciate everyone who expressed interest in this story by reading, reviewing, alerting, or favoriting this! It really made me smile. Anyways, enough chitchat. Onto the story! This one is in two parts so I can update more often… Hopefully… Anyways enjoy and, again, sorry for the wait.

**Timing: **Sometime when Sarah Jane traveled with the fourth Doctor. And, for River, this is when she's attending university.

**Sarah Jane Smith **

River Song, doctoral candidate, stood before the cave, a determined glint in her eyes. She was going to find fossils to prove that both sentient inhabitants of this planet had evolved from the same creatures. She was completely alone due to the fact that her lab partner had contracted the local flu, putting him out of commission for the rest of their trip. But, River Song had her mother's temper and her father's never-give-up attitude so she had hoisted her bag onto her shoulder and headed to the caves on her own.

The caves were located in a treacherous mountain range that split the whole surface of the planet in half. The Goracks lived on the western side while the Saladons lived to the east. The Goracks were green creatures that walked on two legs with the heads of something almost snake-like while the Saladons were blue and scaly with more humanoid faces. Needless to say, River stood out like a neon sign on either side. She entered the first cave, which had, supposedly, once been used as a tunnel for trade between the two sides. Now, however, neither side wanted anything to do with the other so the mountains were essentially abandoned. So, when she heard voices, she was naturally curious.

She ventured silently into the dark cave, her eyes adjusting easily to the lack of light. The voices, one male, one female, echoed through the empty hallways, making River unable to understand what they were discussing. She turned a corner and almost ran straight into a man that was all hair, teeth, and scarf. She jumped back, astonished and a little intimidated by the man. "Hello there," he said, his rich voice pleasant. "Would you like a Jelly Baby?" he asked, offering a white bag to her.

"Um, hello," River managed as she took in the man's eager grin and floppy hat, automatically refusing the offer of a treat ("Never take candy from strangers!" a young Amelia had instructed firmly once when River had taken a gummy candy from a very scary woman dressed in a leather dress). There was something _familiar _about him that she just couldn't put her finger on. Her gaze slid over to the young brunette that stood behind him, taking in the girl's delicate features and pretty blue eyes. The girl looked dwarfed next to the man wearing the scarf as he bent slightly to avoid scraping his head on the pointed ceiling.

"Hello," the girl, who was no older than 24, said with an apologetic smile. "Sorry if he scared you."

"I'm the Doctor," the man introduced eagerly. "And this is Sarah Jane."

Belatedly, River realized that she should introduce herself, a little surprised by his name. "River," her new name slipped past her lips automatically now. "Doctor who?"

"It's just the Doctor," he waved off her question. "Are you here all by yourself?" he inquired, concern in his large blue eyes.

"Oh yes. I'm studying for my doctoral exam. I'm writing my thesis on how the Goracks and Seladons evolved from the same ancestors," River eagerly spouted.

"So you're a scientist!" He looked absolutely delighted.

"I'm an archeologist," she corrected. The man almost pouted, and, like that, River knew exactly who she was speaking to.

"Now, don't be rude, Doctor," the girl swatted the Doctor gently on the arm. "Sorry about him. So, what does studying have to do with looking at caves?"

"Oh, I'm hoping to find some relics or fossils or anything, really, to solidify my thesis. Right now it's all conjecture."

"That sounds much more interesting than just wandering. We should help her, Doctor!" Sarah Jane seemed to have caught on to River's enthusiasm.

"Archeology? I point and laugh at archeologists!"

River smothered a grin; she could imagine her Doctor saying the same thing. It was a wonder that she hadn't recognized him earlier! "What are you, a time traveler?" she asked smoothly.

"As a matter of fact, I am!" he retorted.

"Oh yes, this was most certainly her Doctor. "No need to show off," Sarah Jane scolded crossly. River was beginning to like Sarah Jane very much. "What sort of things are you looking for?"

"Well, you see, these mountains were once used as cemeteries, libraries, and roads. After a disagreement that no one remembers, they cut off all ties to the other side and have been diverging from each other ever since. Of course, no one has been to these caves in years because many believe that they're haunted."

"Nonsense!" the Doctor exclaimed, his eyes taking in the walls of the cave in interest.

"Well, I think it's fascinating," Sarah Jane countered. "Where are you from, River? If you don't mind me asking."

"Oh, I suppose Earth. Though I wasn't born there. And you?"

"Earth as well," Sarah Jane grinned, obviously pleased to meet another terrestrial. "The Doctor here was born quite far away."

"As was I. When are you from, Sarah Jane?"

"Well, currently the 70's. 1970," she clarified.

River smiled broadly. "What an interesting decade. Just wait until the 80's!" They shared another smile before River got back to business. "We should get started if we want to be finished by dark."

"Of course," Sarah agreed. "Why are you here by yourself anyways? Isn't it dangerous?"

"Oh, my lab partner is sick. Not that that will stop me! Any suggestions on where we should start, Doctor?"

"I wouldn't want to spoil your fun. I'll be by the TARDIS when you're done playing explorer, Sarah," he said offhandedly as he strolled off. Sarah Jane rolled her eyes at him and River laughed softly.

"Sorry about him. Sometimes he's quite rude," Sarah apologized as soon as he was out of earshot. "You would think that, old as he is, he would have picked up a few manners here and there!"

Oh yes, River was going to _love _Sarah Jane. "I know the type. How did you end up traveling with him?" the blonde asked as she led the way through the very dark cave.

"It was sort of an accident. I snuck onto his ship." Sarah yelped in pain as she ran into a large stone. "I don't know how you can see in here! It's pitch dark."

"I suppose I just have good eyes," River replied as she pulled a light out of her pocket. She flicked it on and the cave filled with light.

Sarah Jane took the opportunity to really look at the strange blonde she had been so quick to trust. River wore a black tank top with curve-hugging jeans topped off with a large, loose khaki jacket with various pockets. She wore sturdy black boots and her wild curls were held away from her face in a sort of complex knot. Sarah Jane struggled to place the blonde's age, finally settling on older than her but younger than thirty. Or somewhere thereabouts.

A low rumble had both women stopping in their tracks, both waiting for some sort of sign. The moment passed and Sarah laughed a little nervously. River offered a smile in return and headed deeper into the cave. A few more minutes passed in silence before a low, steady rumble filled the caves followed by a small, rapidly increasing vibration of the ground beneath their feet. "Run!" River shouted as she reached behind her and grabbed Sarah Jane by the hand, leading the way through the dark, treacherous corridors easily despite the fact that the flashlight had fallen to the ground when they had begun their retreat.

Chunks of ceiling began to fall just as Sarah Jane could make out a light source ahead of them. River navigated them with an inhuman precision as they dodged boulders on the ground and the large pieces of rock that were collapsing around them. After what seemed like forever, they burst out and into the fresh air, both gasping for breath as River tugged them further away from the cave.

After a few moments of panting in silence, River dropped her head into her hands and began to laugh quietly. Sarah Jane looked at the blonde and asked, quite crossly, "How will we find the Doctor now?"

"The caves are generally connected to each other; we should be able to find him easily if he stays still."

"That'll be the day!" Sarah lamented before joining River in relieved laughter. "I'll never find him!"

River nudged her gently, her laughter dying down. "He'll turn up. Probably scolding you for getting lost, too."

"That does sound like him. At least we're together."

"Exactly. I'll make sure we're safe. After all, I've studied these mountains extensively."

"River… there isn't anything… well, _dangerous _that lives in these mountains, right?"

"They have the equivalent of a bear, if that's what you're asking. But, that's what this is for," River answered as she pulled a small pistol from her pocket. "This will stun anything we run in to long enough for us to get very far away."

Sarah Jane sighed. "I do hope that the Doctor sticks close to the TARDIS instead of wandering off to meddle in something."

"Well, come along, Sarah Jane. We don't want to still be lost when night falls." River began picking her way along the side of the mountain, very thankful that she had worn sensible shoes. Sarah Jane was only a few steps behind, cursing her lovely yet impractical shoes, making River smile. "So, what is it that you do for a living?" she queried as she turned to help the petite brunette up an especially large rock.

"I'm an investigative journalist," Sarah replied as River pulled her up onto the ledge. "And I travel with the Doctor. He keeps trying to get me home for a visit, but he keeps missing. Today he was trying to land us on some sort of resort planet where we could take a vacation. Course, he lands us in an abandoned cave in the middle of nowhere, fifty years late, and in the wrong solar system."

River laughed loudly at that; even regenerations later he would still get lost. "So, why didn't the two of you just leave?"

This made Sarah Jane roll her eyes to a degree that she had to admit was quite impressive. "Because he can't stand the thought of simply leaving. He _has _to go out and explore. No matter how dangerous or boring or stupid the situation is. And, if I try to convince him otherwise, he mopes and complains and refuses to dematerialize until I finally relent and let him explore."

River sat on a medium sized boulder, noticing that her companion was slightly out of breath. Sarah sat next to her, gratefully taking the proffered water. The air was currently cool but the sun was very warm and, River knew, when the star dipped behind the mountains, the area would become freezing cold and neither woman was dressed for it. "So he whines until he gets his way? Sounds like a spoiled child."

"Oh, he most definitely is," the brunette agreed. "And, if he's ever wrong and I'm right, he'll mope for days before impressing me with his brilliance and then he'll insult humans and then go back to being a bit eccentric."

"Why does he wear that silly scarf?"

Sarah Jane merely snorted at the question. "He thinks scarves are very practical. He thinks scarves are—"

"Cool?" River suggested, earning a strange look from Sarah Jane. "Ah, right. Neat? Hip? Stylish," she settled on that word, forgetting the dialect barrier.

"Yes, he thinks he looks very stylish in his layers. I swear, he wears two shirts, a waistcoat, a cravat, a jumper, and a coat. Plus his scarf! It's a wonder that he doesn't roast."

"Maybe they're made of a special material. Anyways, we should get moving. It'll be dark in a few hours." River led the way again as they clambered over rocks, following something that vaguely resembled an ancient trail, moving further and further away from where they had come. Nearly an hour passed with no conversation, saving comments on dangers, when they finally arrived at the mouth of a cave.

Sarah Jane looked worriedly at the rapidly disappearing sun. "Does it get cold at night?"

"Yes. The temperature will drop at least fifteen degrees… I had planned on just scouting out the tunnels today and returning tomorrow with all my supplies…"

"Maybe we should find a place to settle down in the caves and build a fire for warmth," Sarah suggested, eyeing the vegetation that grew sparsely around them.

"I've got something in my bag that we can use as a sort of fireplace. You're right, though; it doesn't look like we'll be finding out way out tonight and it'll be much safer to travel in the morning when we're refreshed," the blonde agreed as they entered the cave. The walls, which caught the last rays of sun, were reflective and richly purple and were absolutely breathtaking. The light bounced around the cave, refracting against the crystalline rocks.

"This looks as though someone intentionally made this," River muttered, awed. "Looks like some sort of temple," she remarked as she gently ran a finger over something that resembled an altar.

"It looks abandoned," Sarah Jane agreed, her voice equally soft as she gently placed her hand on the smooth wall. There were delicate carvings on the walls that were filled with dust, making them stand out against the otherwise flawless pieces. "Can you read this?"

River stared at the etched rock, examining the swirls and loops, trying to focus on them. They shifted in and out of focus, allowing her to catch a word here and there thanks to the TARDIS who was, very kindly, translating for her. Unfortunately, the writing was very, very old and she struggled to read any of it. "Not really," she admitted as she ran her fingers along a word. "I can read a few, but it's mostly just nonsense to me."

Sarah Jane fought a yawn as she moved a little further into the cave; the next turn revealed normal, dull rocks that made her feel much more at ease than the purple rock. She spotted what looked like a comfy nook and moved towards it, eager to pull off her shoes. She sat in the tucked away corner and moved a few stones to make the floor a little smoother before she pulled off her two-inch tall boots. She wriggled her stockinged feet and let out a sigh of contentment. She leaned back against the curved wall of the cave and let her eyelids flutter closed. She was suddenly very, very tired and River would be back in no time. They were going to make a fire and probably talk for a while… _Oh, here's River, _she thought tiredly as she heard footsteps approaching. She frowned a little before she slipped into sleep. _That sounds like two people… _

**A/N: **See? I haven't forgotten about this. I've got a couple more planned and several that are partially written… I'm having a lot of trouble with Jo and Three… Anyways, the next half of Sarah Jane and River's adventure should be up by the end of the week. Thanks for reading and feel free to drop any suggestions for companions/Doctors/situations you'd like to see!


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